And here’s Jamie Jackson’s report from Old Trafford.
Steve Bruce speaks.
It’s the second goal, isn’t it? It got a wicked deflection and they got that little bit of luck you need. The third one I’ve just looked at the penalty and we’ve got VAR and it looked soft. For 60 minutes we gave as good as we got but that second goal was the one. We were a bit disrupted when we lost Joelinton. [On Karl Darlow] He will be disappointed because he’s been beaten at his near post. I haven’t seen that one back but we’ll analyse it and have a look at it with him. The response has been good, we’ve been very, very decent performances of late but the thing is you need some results. We’ve tried to get higher up the pitch and be on the front foot and enjoy what we’re doing. It takes some getting used to because we’ve played a certain way for a long time now. I think they’re enjoying it. I’m convinced we will (stay up). We’ve got a long way to go. Six or seven teams are all looking over their shoulder.
Fly on your way, like a Keown Eagle Swoop, fly, touch the sun.
Shola Shoretire is the first Man Utd player born after Keown_Eagle_Swoop to play for the club in the PL pic.twitter.com/u99aU4kkxK
— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) February 21, 2021
Ole Gunnar Solskjær speaks.
Yeah, we had to up the tempo. It’s always difficult against a game in Europe; we couldn’t creator too many opportunities. It was about moving the ball. We scored some good goals. On [Dan James] He’s been working hard, he’s always a player you can use in different positions. He’s learning the game. We work with him. Dan came from the Championship. He’s knuckled down to get to full fitness, and maybe more confidence. I am disappointed with the goal they conceded. We cannot controls any other teams, we just have to control ourselves.
Andrew Lees on the Manchester United penalty. “Willock was clumsy, but that was a dive from Rashford surely? ‘Exaggerating contact’ at the very least. And VAR didn’t even have an extended look? When did clear dive get replaced by entitled to go down?”
I think Dan James put it well just now when he said that Marcus Rashford had ‘won’ the penalty.
Manchester United goalscorer Dan James speaks.
Very important. After Thursday, we wanted to capitalise on that. We came out for the second half and used the space down the side. I have been as working as hard as I can. It’s a turnaround, there was a moment last season I wasn’t performing as well. I kind of lost my way a bit, I had to look at analysis, I have the right people around me. I like to think I have got there.
Mike Morris goes loop the loop: “With no further info, I’m going to say the loopy Cantona header was in a 4-1 win against The Tottenham Hot Spurs in 1992/93. It goes at least twelve feet high and is the greatest of all loopy headers.”
I think Mike’s in the loop there.
Final score: Manchester United 3-1 Newcastle
They were not at their best at all but Manchester United step to second place while Newcastle, for all the bravery of their first half performance and the excellence of Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin during that time, drop deeper towards the trapdoor. Steve Bruce and Ole Gunnar Solskjær share quite a chat as they walk down the tunnel. Brucey looks annoyed but how will his club’s fans enjoy that pals act?
Updated
90+3 min: Young Shola gets a couple of touches on his big night out. It doesn’t seem long since Marcus Rashford was taking such steps.
90 min: Steve Bruce chunners into the evening air. At least it wasn’t 4-1 this time. Or not yet anyway. Three minutes more are added on.
89 min: It barely needs saying but young Shola looks very young indeed.
88 min: Manchester United queuing up for another against a bereft Newcastle. And here’s two United changes. Juan Mata is on for James, and Shola Shoretire is on for Marcus Rashford against his hometown club. Howay the lad.
86 min: It could have been four as Shaw overlaps and his pass from the byline just evades Rashford and Greenwood. Duncan, if you’re reading, Luke Shaw has been good again.
85 min: Ian Copestake gets in touch: “Ian Kennedy’s comment rather tailed off as an initially promising homage to The Streets’ ‘Dry your Eyes.’
Duncan Edwards emails in: “Bored but [sic] your unrelenting negativity re Manchester United. I’ll just follow the BBC instead”
83 min: Maguire heads a pearler of a Shaw corner and Darlow makes a fine save. Shaw takes the next one, and this time Maguire heads wide.
81 min: Greenwood and James link and James cross to Greenwood comes off Lewis’s thigh to go behind for a corner. That has to be headed behind by Shelvey as Matic speeds in.
79 min: Off goes the excellent Almiron, on comes Dwight Gayle, and presumably Ryan Fraser will go to the wing. Saint-Maximin has also gone off, with Jacob Murphy replacing him. Those two departures were the best Newcastle players when they were in the ascendancy.
78 min: Paul Howarth emails in: “Hello John, that Fernandes header that looped wide, I remember Cantona scoring similar with header that looped in at the same end, same side.”
Hmm, v Blackburn? Or was it a more loopy header? Ah, the 1990s.
76 min: Steve Bruce looks misty-eyed, and those who have it in for him are sharpening their pencils. A decent display has come apart at the seams due to some slack play, and the lack of personnel.
Goal! Manchester United 3-1 Newcastle (Fernandes, 75 pen)
A step, and a goal, and Darlow, who saved from Fernandes before, cannot make a save.
Updated
Penalty to Manchester United!
Rashford gets the ball from Matic, drags it beyond Willock who cannot get out of the way and brings him down.
73 min: Mary Waltz makes a typically salient point: “Considering the talent disparity between the two teams Newcastle will be hard done by the probable outcome. No tears, no pity, but if I was a United fan I would hardly be bursting with pride over their effort.”
71 min: Ole claps his hands in frustration as a Fernandes flick is not chased down by Maguire. They could do with another. The backline is always ropey.
70 min: Martial becomes an even falser nine by leaving the field to be replaced by Greenwood.
69 min: A case in point: Martial slows down an attack when United seem to have numbers over their opponent.
68 min: Fraser shoots from distance, far too great a distance. Alimiron, though, continues to chase everything that moves.
66 min: That goal - against the run of play - has lifted one team, and the other has retreated into their shell. Dan James has a shot blocked. Manchester United are flowing compared to the constipation of much of their performance.
64 min: Rashford just offside when he was one on one with Karl Darlow.
62 min: On Daniel James’s goal, Ian Kennedy has this to say to me, someone who has attended hundreds of Manchester United games. “Dry your eyes, goals win games whether with or against the play.” It was a good goal, but I wasn’t crying tears of joy, Ian.
61 min: Newcastle look a little shellshocked. And have Ryan Fraser, barely taller than Danny DeVito, up front.
59 min: “Someone needs the explain to Martial that the term ‘false 9’ is not a reference to standing up top doing absolutely nothing,” miaows David Flynn. And with that, Martial wakes up and fires a shot that Darlow has to make a fine save to stop.
58 min: That goal, like Manchester United’s opener, was against the balance of play.
Goal! Manchester United 2-1 Newcastle (James, 57)
Oh Newcastle. Oh no. Matic’s feint past Willock and a pass across the box and James gobbles up the chance with a smashing finish. The ball took a slight, inadvertent touch off Fernandes.
Updated
55 min: Newcastle change, on comes Ryan Fraser, with Brad Willis highlights, to replace Joelinton. Does that mean Steve Bruce has gone ‘false nine’?
53 min: Manchester United’s attacking is sluggish, sloth-like. They are missing the dynamism of Cavani and McTominay.
51 min: Manchester United have been poor again. A comparison of their play to Manchester City is just not fair, is it? Bruno Fernandes has been anonymous.
50 min: Saint-Maximin - again - from a half-cleared free-kick, gets a shot it. De Gea dpes well to save it with everything behind the ball. Good play from all concerned.
49 min: Shelvey has a dig from distance. It’s not a good effort, to be quite honest. Those go in once a season. Newcastle are still at it, and Saint-Maximin’s piece of skill sends Dan James to Rawtenstall and back before the more considered Wan-Bissaka gets it clear.
Updated
47 min: No changes by the way, with Joelinton OK to carry on. He’s the target for a free-kick that Harry Maguire heads away when Ciaran Clark was lurking with intent.
46 min: Back away we go. Can Newcastle keep up all that energy from the first half?
Tom Hall gets in touch: “Man Utd fan here. Whenever I see Daniel James play, I am reminded of a documentary I watched once about the Tiger beetle which can run so fast that it goes blind. It might just be me, but this may explain why he looks a bit startled when he approaches the box.”
Half-time: Manchester United 1-1 Newcastle
Steve Bruce has only ever picked up one point before at Old Trafford and he’s on course for it, with his team the better side. Marcus Rashford’s goal owed much to Karl Darlow’s mistake while Allan Saint-Maximin’s goal was a corker.
45 min: Two minutes to be added on. Ole Gunnar Solksjær looks miserable as sin on the bench.
44 min: Joelinton is down, and in some distress. Looks like a problem with his back. That’s a decision to make at half-time.
43 min: Steve Bruce urging on his men, making sure they don’t put all their good work to waste. Almiron sets off on another solo run, and again is suffering from a lack of support.
41 min: Martial holds the ball up, and then plays in Fred for a shot from distance. Fred would not be the man you’d back to score from there and he doesn’t.
40 min: Newcastle continue to be the better team here. Joelinton is booked for kicking the ball away and there has been an edge of aggression to their play.
38 min: A contretemps between Bruno Fernandes and Isaac Hayden results in a yellow card for both of them.
37 min: Newcastle deserved that, and that came because they put men forward.
Goal! Manchester United 1-1 Newcastle (Saint-Maximin, 36)
Saint-Maximin forces a corner with a fizzing shot and from that Maguire heads the ball weakly away and Saint-Maximin once more fizzes it and it’s an equaliser.
Updated
34 min: Manchester United have got a happy knack of scoring goals when not playing well. Unfortunately for their hopes of the title, they don’t play well enough, either.
33 min: Newcastle had been good, too, if rather unlikely to score. Their chances have suffered from a lack of conviction, not enough bodies piling forward.
31 min: Karl Darlow looks very annoyed with himself. As well he might. Rashford took on the shot, and got his prize. Manchester United now the highest scorers in the Premier League on 51.
Goal! Manchester United 1-0 Newcastle (Rashford, 30)
The knight in waiting cuts in from the left, steps inside, Krafth allows him the space to shoot and Darlow is beaten far too easily at his near post.
Updated
29 min: United switch the play from right to left, then back again in search of an opening. Wan-Bissaka shoots with his left and that will not trouble Darlow.
27 min: Almiron shoots from distance; he’s had a fine game so far though that was nevr likely to trouble David de Gea.
26 min: “I think Shona Shoretire might be a winger?” says Josh Holtby, from his very posh seat of learning. “But I’ve never seen him either, so who knows?”
25 min: Joelinton gets back up. Perhaps he got tired chasing Almiron.
23 min: United are very left-sided but James is speeding down the right for them. He has a habit of just smashing the ball. This time it leads to Almiron burning past everyone including his own colleagues until he is outnumbered. Joelinton didn’t chase hard but we see why now. He appears to have a muscle problem.
21 min: Newcastle back in numbers as Rashford and Shaw have to slow down play. Then Martial’s hold-up play fails as he pokes the ball out of play rather than releasing a teammate.
20 min: A flash of something from Manchester United. Not much, but something, as James’ fizzing cross is saved by Darlow.
19 min: Alun Pugh emails in: “Newcastle fan here. Wondering whether to spend this evening watching the game or hacking off my genitalia with a rusty knife I found in the hospital sharps bin.”
Wor lads are playing well, bonny lad.
18 min: Manchester United try to put together some passing but they are being swarmed on by neon-shirted dervishes.
16 min: Almiron makes another escape and his cross has to be claimed by De Gea. Joelinton seemed a tad slow to chase his chance for a header.
14 min: Newcastle the better team here. Manchester United have been very slow out of the blocks.
12 min: Fernandes is felled, and United of Manchester have a free-kick. Fernandes scoops that to the back post where Darlow gets the ball ahead of Maguire.
10 min: Almiron is OK and he presses the ball so well that Shelvey has a chance to shoot from the edge of the box. Steve Bruce curses as it flies over the bar.
9 min: Almiron goes down, holding the back of his leg after an altercation with Maguire. There was no contact.
8 min: Dan James sets off on a surge. And is hacked down. Newcastle are engaging the press heavily and Rashford and Martial are crowded out on the left-hand side. Newcastle attack at speed again and Maguire has to cut off a pass from Almiron to Joelinton.
6 min: Newcastle have started well, playing far adventurously than might be expected. The influence of Graeme Jones? Though Steve Bruce may not like that reference to his assistant, who it was speculated was brought in to replace him.
4 min: Newcastle corner, and they take their time. The ball eventually comes back out to Joelinton, and he turns a pings a deflected shot that De Gea saves well.
3 min: Rashford scampers down the left but is then ushered off the edge of the field by Lascelles. Newcastle go swiftly up the other end, and then Joelinton similarly falls over untouched in the box.
1 min: And away we go. Both teams need a win here. Harry Maguire begins with some risky business and is a tad lucky not to be robbed in midfield of the ball.
The teams take to the field at Old Trafford. With Nicky Butt and Mark Dempsey accompanying Ole, as the rest of his staff is in isolation.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær speaks.
As a precaution we have isolated some of the coaching staff. So Nicky [Butt] and Mark [Dempsey] are in with me. Hopefully Thursday, maybe Sunday for Cavani. Danny [James] played really well against Sociedad. Dan has worked very hard. Scott [McTominay] as well is injured. He hurt his ankle. Nemanja [Matic] has played many games. We’ve cut the squad a little bit and the kids get a chance and we hope we can give them some experience. I really locale like them since Graeme [Jones] came in. They will come to give us a good game.
PA Media’s take on that team news.
Manchester United have made five changes from Real Sociedad. David de Gea, Victor Lindelöf, Luke Shaw, Nemanja Matic and Anthony Martial came into the starting line-up, while Newcastle-born 17-year-old Shola Shoretire joined fellow teenager Amad Diallo on the bench. Scott McTominay, Donny Van De Beek and Edinson Cavani missed out through injury against the Magpies, who brought Joelinton in for Dwight Gayle.
Speculation that De Gea would be replaced by Dean Henderson seems to have been dismissed. Shola Shoretire, a defender, is very highly rated among United’s youth coaches.
Key stat of the night, though I’ve heard two different stories.
Shola Shoretire is the first player who was born after Bob Monkhouse died to be on the bench for Manchester United in a Premier League game.
— Richard Jolly (@RichJolly) February 21, 2021
Been a big day for Manchester United alumni.
One change for Newcastle from Monday’s defeat at Chelsea as Joelinton replaces Dwight Gayle.
Two Manchester United changes to the side that drew 1-1 with West Brom. Nemanja Matic and Dan James replace Scott McTominay and Edinson Cavani, neither of whom make the bench, on which January signing Amad Diallo is named.
Here are the teams
Manchester United: de Gea, Wan Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Fred, Matic, James, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford, Martial.
Subs: Bailly, Mata, Greenwood, Diallo, Henderson, Alex Telles, Williams, Tuanzebe, Shoretire.
Newcastle: Darlow, Krafth, Lascelles, Clark, Lewis, Willock, Hayden, Shelvey, Almiron, Joelinton, Saint-Maximin.
Subs: Dubravka, Dummett, Carroll, Ritchie, Gayle, Hendrick, Fraser, Murphy, Sean Longstaff.
Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire)
Updated
Preamble
Steve Bruce loved his time at Manchester United, and the fans loved him. He scored 51 goals for the club as a hulking central defender. He’s also been an opponent his old club have long enjoyed facing. Last season saw him break his duck, when Matty Longstaff’s goal for Newcastle was a first win over his old club in 25 attempts, but that was followed up by two 4-1 defeats. That Bruce is still in charge of Newcastle rankles with plenty of the club’s followers, with just two wins picked up in 2021, and the rest defeats. But without those two wins from the last four, defeats of Everton and Southampton, they would be in the drop zone. And Fulham’s defeat of Sheffield United last night meant there are just three points separating Newcastle from the bottom three. Manchester United start the match in third, having slipped somewhat in recent weeks, with draws against Everton and West Brom both poor performances. Perhaps Thursday’s destruction of Real Sociedad might have lifted spirits though it might also tire them out. Time then for Brucey to be brave at his old stamping ground, where the fake crowd are bound to receive him warmly.
Kick-off at 7pm UK time. Join me.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 25 | 35 | 59 |
| 2 | Leicester | 25 | 17 | 49 |
| 3 | Man Utd | 24 | 19 | 46 |
| 4 | West Ham | 25 | 10 | 45 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 25 | 16 | 43 |
| 6 | Liverpool | 25 | 11 | 40 |
| 7 | Everton | 24 | 4 | 40 |
| 8 | Aston Villa | 23 | 11 | 36 |
| 9 | Tottenham Hotspur | 24 | 10 | 36 |
| 10 | Arsenal | 25 | 5 | 34 |
| 11 | Wolverhampton | 25 | -6 | 33 |
| 12 | Leeds | 24 | -3 | 32 |
| 13 | Southampton | 24 | -9 | 30 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 24 | -15 | 29 |
| 15 | Burnley | 25 | -12 | 28 |
| 16 | Brighton | 24 | -5 | 26 |
| 17 | Newcastle | 24 | -15 | 25 |
| 18 | Fulham | 25 | -11 | 22 |
| 19 | West Brom | 25 | -36 | 14 |
| 20 | Sheff Utd | 25 | -26 | 11 |
